Reasonings
by LokiRavenscraft
Summary: Emotions are powerful.


Drake's life had always been busy.

Always doing something, going somewhere, striving for something. His teenage years had been spent climbing the marine ladder until he reached the position of Rear Admiral, an impressive feat for one so young.

But..the fame, the prestige, the power...he wanted none of it.

He just wanted _him_.

Drake had first seen him on a wanted poster. Long blond hair, triangles tattoed where his eyebrows would have been. A long, narrow, classically handsome face, and the man had a cross tattoed into the skin of his throat. Not exactly someone you could forget.

"And this is...?" He had asked the cadet, masking his curiosity with an air of boredom.  
>"Basil Hawkins 'The Magician', sir."<p>

He had dismissed the marine after giving him kitchen patrol for a week for being a smartass.

Drake tucked the poster away for further perusal later, and had put together a ship and some of his most loyal crew so he could go after this 'Hawkins'. He would always remember perfectly how they met for the first time.

"Basil Hawkins."

The blond had simply glanced up at him from his seat on the bench in the town square.

"Rear Admiral Drake. I foresaw this possibility..but do not see the shadow of death upon me today." He said smoothly, and Drake noted that his voice had a rustling quality to it.

The marine didn't move, only observed the other man quietly. He had come alone, leaving his men on the ship to wait for his return. They had almost come with him anyway, until he claimed they would simply distract him and get in his way.

But honestly, Drake had grown tired of the corruption plaguing the marines. Too many times had he seen situations that should not have been allowed go unchecked, and too many times had his hands been tied from helping those who truly needed it. It was with this in mind that he asked his next question.

"What's it like to be a pirate?"

He could have sworn the magician's mouth fell open slightly, but he could have been mistaken. Because in the next instant, as he stood staring at the handsome blond, the pirate smiled faintly.

Drake decided he wanted to see that look more often.

"Fate is different for all of us, you must experience it for yourself to truly understand."

Drake had turned and walked away, considering the statement.

Controlling his own actions? Doing what he wanted? Being able to see that man again?

Rear Admiral Drake died that day, and in his place was born 'Red Flag' X Drake, pirate captain. To his surprise, most of his men joined him in desertion, and they repainted the battleship with inverted colors, raised a pirate flag, and set sail. 

* * *

><p>Several months later, they had docked in a small port town, where Drake had run into a familiar face.<p>

"Would you like me to read your fortunes?"

Drake's tankard had paused halfway to his lips. He blinked beneath the black eyemask and bicorn hat, eyes sliding to the right as he observed Basil Hawkins move into his range of vision.

"If you want." He responded carefully, not wanting to sound to eager.

There was that faint smile again, though slightly more subdued. Had Drake been a normal human and not an Ancient Zoan user with a nictitating third eyelid with no need to really blink, he would have missed the expression.

"Not here. Such things must be conducted privately." Hawkins murmured, and Drake stood, intrigued, to follow him up the stairs to an unused room in the inn.

The blond had taken the only chair in the room, leaving Drake to perch on the edge of the bed as the magician withdrew his cards. He began to shuffle them with all the grace of a professional gambler, and Drake watched his motions, fascinated.

He suddenly realized just how small the room was, and became aware that the magician had laid his cards to the side and was moving towards him instead. The former marine had begun to stand when the blond had set his hands on his shoulders and seated himself on his lap.

Drake flushed despite himself.

His mouth dropped open, and he could only make several stammering noises before Hawkins smiled faintly again and kissed him softly on the lips. Drake leaned into the touch, his hands finding their way to the blond's hips. After a long moment, the magician pulled away slightly.

"Concerning the fate of your reading, I performed one for you the day before we met. I am glad to say the results now are better than the possibilities you previously had." He said as he pushed the other man onto the mattress gently.

Drake's expression was that of confusion, but he kept his hands firmly on the blond's waist.  
>"Why did you help me then?"<p>

Hawkins smiled again, and this time it was slightly wider than before.

"Love between a pirate and a marine is infinitely more difficult than that between two pirate captains. Your future as a captain had better probabilities."

And it all made sense. Hawkins had been a man in love.

Well, that suited Drake just fine. He smiled as Hawkins leaned over to capture his lips again. 

* * *

><p>Since that day, he had gained a new sense of peace that stemmed from one person, and one person only.<p>

Even now.

Drake leaned heavily on Hawkins as they sank to the ground in a small alleyway. Kizaru had been the last thing either one had expected, and Drake had almost been too late to the scene. Between the Admiral and the Pacifista, there had been little option but to split up and take flight. He sincerely hoped that Urouge and Apoo had gotten away safely. But at the moment there were more pressing concerns.

"I'm sorry I was late." He breathed, his head resting on Hawkin's shoulder briefly before moving to lean against the wall.

"You could not have foreseen it." The magician consoled, and Drake's eyes roved over the man's injuries, blaming himself for each and every one of them. His hands wandered over the magician's shoulder before gently pulling the blond into his lap to bury his face in his hair.

He had been so close to loosing him.

"I was not worried. I knew you would come."

Hawkin's voice was soft and eased Drake's guilt away. The magician removed Drake's bicorn hat with a slight rustle of fabric, and kissed him.

"I don't deserve you."  
>"I know of no-one who deserves me more." <p>

* * *

><p>If you attack this island, Kaido won't ignore it."<p>

Drake smiled at the construct. He had found his purpose on Sabaody Archipelago, after all this time as a pirate captain. He needed to become even stronger. Strong enough to beat an admiral easily. Strong enough to beat a Yonkou. He needed to be strong enough to carve out a place for himself and his magician.

"Well then. That makes the process go much faster."

He activated his Devil Fruit ability and attacked with a grin.

He was a different kind of busy these days.


End file.
